Paddlewheel centerboard for portable sailboats



p 13, 1955 G. E. PETTY PADDLEWHEEL CENTERBOARD FOR PORTABLE SAILBOATS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 2, 1954 I INVENTOR E. Petizq.

ATTORNEY G. E. PETTY Sept. 13, 1955 PADDLEWHEEL CENTERBOARD FOR PORTABLE SAIL-BOATS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2, 1954 IN VENTOR Gor on E. Petbq ATTORNEY Sept. 13, 1955 G. E. PETTY 2,717,571

PADDLEWHEEL CENTERBOARD FOR PORTABLE SAILBOATS Filed June 2, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,A. v M

INVENTOR s9 Gordon E. Peblzq.

ATTORNEY G. E. PETTY 2,717,571

PADDLEWHEEL CENTERBOARD FOR PORTABLE SAILBOATS Sept. 13, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Gordon E. Pebfiq.

Filed June 2,. 1954 -7 M ATTORNEY United States Patent PADDLEWHEEL CENTERBOARD FOR PORTABLE SAILBOATS Gordon E. Petty, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 2, 1954, Serial No. 433,971

1 Claim. (Cl. 115-53) The present invention relates to an improvement in centerboards for sailing crafts and specifically applies to a centerboard which may be retracted into the boats centerboard well and one which has paddles which may be driven by a source of motive power for driving the boat through the water.

Many devices have been designed and used in sailing craft for the purpose of providing a means to steady the craft in its movement through the water, and to provide such a device that is easily retracted into a well in the boat so that shallow water may be traversed. Lee boards which are let down into the water on one or both sides of the craft and vertical panels of greater or lesser width that are lowered through a narrow slot or well placed amidships are frequently used. One inherent feature of all lee boards or centerboards is that they be thin along their major axis and that their major axis be longitudinally parallel to the length of the boat. A further requirement in boat design is that the position of the lee board or centerboard be aft of the center of pressure of the winds upon the boat, which generally is at the step or base of the mast, in single-masted craft, or somewhere near and geometrically computed in the case of craft with combination sails.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a combination centerboard and means for propelling the boat, and one which is readily retracted into the boat well, and is further a device which ofiers no drag to the craft due to propeller blades or paddles when such motive power is not in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a paddlewheel which automatically seeks a position of neutral out of the water flow and which offers no impediment to the progress of the boat over the water, as well as providing a convenient method of transporting the boat over land, as in portages or for winter storage and the like.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of double drive for the motive power, so that the paddlewheel arrangement may be driven relatively fast and the land transporting power may be applied at a slower rate, although with a greater torque.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a reverse drive for the paddlewheel, so that the boat may be more easily maneuvered in close quarters near a dock or anchorage.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent upon consideration of the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view in elevation of a portion of a sailboat showing the invention in dotted lines and somewhat schematically,

Fig. 2 is a detailed view partly in section of the mechanism of the invention as installed,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the traction belt transmission assembly partly in cross section,

Fig. 4 is an end view in section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4a is an end view of the hatch cover, parts thereof being shown in dotted lines in ditierent positions of adjustment,

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective showing the locking means by which the paddlewheels are locked in lowered position,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view edgewise of the rim of one of the paddlewheels,

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of the manual drive linkage,

and

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the paddlewheel of this invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the boat hull is indicated generally by the numeral 10 and shows, in Fig. 1, a mast 11 and sail 12 fixed somewhat forward of midsection of the boat. Most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the invention consists of a pair of relatively large circular discs 13 each having its major axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boat and being spaced from each other nearly the width of the opening 14 in the boat bottom 15. The well 16, which is of rectangular construction and waterproof extends upwardly over the opening 14 and is normally covered with the Well top 17 which has leaves 18 hinged to the top thereof as at 18a.

In Fig. 5 is seen an important feature of the invention,

the side walls 19 of the well being provided with guide blocks 21 and 22 which form between them the slot 23 Whichhouses the bearing 24 on shaft 25, itbeing understood that the blocks are on each side wall and the shaft 25 extends across the well 16 from side to side. On the shaft 25 is mounted the circular discs 13 and the two paddles 26, seen in end view in Fig. 4 and most clearly in perspective in Fig. 8. Most conveniently, the discs 13 and the paddles 26 are made of marine or waterproof plywood, laid in sheets with the major grain at right angles and in the case of the paddles, the two paddles are constructed of two continuous face pieces 27 bent and secured at their edges of the two side pieces 28, forming an elongated hollow box having convex top and bottom surfaces, the ends of which are enclosed in a protective V-shaped metal strip 29. As seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the paddles 26 extend to the periphery of the discs 13, and being hollow tend to float on top of the water in neutral position, and ofier little or no obstruction to the waterflow beneath the boat.

In Figs. 1 and 2 is seen a power plant 33 connected by belts to the main drive pulleys 34 which turn a jack shaft 35 in its trunnions 36 at each side of the frame member 37. Pulleys 38 and 39 are disposed on each end of the shaft 35 and are connected by belts 41 and 42 to the pulleys 43 on the shaft 25. Pins 44 and 45 slip into slots 46 and 47 in the pulleys 38 and 39, respectively when the jack shaft 35 is shifted lengthwise in one direction. Pulleys 48 and 49 are also mounted on the jack shaft and are connected by belts 51 and 52 to the pulleys 53, 54, 55 and 56 which serve to press the belts 51 and 52 against the tire 57 which is secured in the metal rim 58 of the discs 13 and to drive it in reverse direction when the operating handle 59 shifts the jack shaft 35 by means of the T end 61 and pin 62 riding in the groove 63. A pin 64 enters the slot 46 in the pulley 48 at the time the pin 45 enters the slot 47 in the pulley 49 to drive the pulleys with the shaft. A frame member 66 supports the driven pulleys 53 to 56 and is moved in an arc for engagement of the belts 51 and 52 on the tires 57 by the control arm 67 which is pivotally secured on the crank 68, the dotted lines indicated at A in Fig. 2

3 showing the upwardly extended position out of operating contact with the tires 57'.

In Fig. 2 is also seen the manual operating handle 69 which is connected by a. pin 71 to either of the drive pulleys 34, the handle 69 being loosely secured over the pins and removable by merely springing the handle outwardly at its midlength. A pivot piece 73 provides a fulcrum for the outward swinging of the handle 69' and permits manual operation of the paddlewheel for short distances or in case of engine failure.

In Fig. 5 a lock indicated generally at 74 is seen to consist of the bar 75v which is flattened at one end and pivotally connected to the lock piece 76 which slips over the bearing 24 or presses it in any intermediate position bymeans of the compression spring 77 bearing against 1 the plug 78 which is fixed in the bar 75 by the pin 79. Another spring 81 acts as an over-center restraint when the handle 80 and linkage 82 is moved to the dotted line position indicated at 83.

Linkage or foot pedal 84 and levers 85 are a part of the tiller of the boat and not a part of the invention. A rope 86 connected to the control arm 67 permits a person walking at the stern of the boat to. control the power to the discs by the belts 5'1 and 52, and as the discs bear most of the weight of the boat, a person can easily balance the boat and steady it as he proceeds on a portage path or road.

The invention is seen then to have many advantages. The discs form effective centerboards and a few strokes of the handle 69 permit the discs to be turned for short 0 distances out of the lee of an island for instance when it would be impractical to start the engine for such a short distance. On approaching shallow water or a beach, the lock 74 is unlatched, permitting the discs to rise into the well, using power if desired until the boat beaches, then by turning the handle 80 to permit the discs to drop as the person manually raises one or the other end of the boat, the lock piece falling into place automatically. The boat is then ready for transporting on land, which is generally stern first so that the person can see where he is headed on the portage path, and to avoid obstacles.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

A paddle wheel centerboard for portable sail boats comprising a substantially rectangular centerboard housing having an open side downwardly facing, said housing being formed with side walls in face to face relation, each of said side walls having a groove on its confronting face, a bearing slidable in each groove, a shaft supported at its ends in said bearings, a pair of circular discs secured in spaced face to face relation to said shaft for rotation therewith, a jack shaft, pulleys on the spaced opposite ends of said jack shaft, belts connecting said pulleys to said discs, a pair of paddles secured to said shaft on opposite sides thereof between said discs, power means drivably connected to said discs, said power meansincluding a selective belt transmission, said transmission including reversing means connected to said shaft and means for shifting said jack shaft longitudinally of the axis of said pulleys.

References Cited in the, file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 48,541 Fenton July 4, 1865 351,831 Fryer Nov. 2, 1886 650,613 Roe et a1 May 29, 1900 780,835 Such Jan. 24, 1905 1,032,886 Felder July 16, 1912 2,521,964 Morse Sept. 12, 1950 

